My Conspiracy Theory

con·spir·a·cy

(from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conspiracy)

[kuh n-spir-uh-see] Show IPA

noun, plural con·spir·a·cies.

1. the act of conspiring.

2. an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.

3. a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose: He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.

4. Law. an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.

5. any concurrence in action; combination in bringing about a given result.

Last night Casey told me he'd heard about another shooting at a school. The person who'd first told him the news had suggested that maybe all of the recent shootings are part of a government conspiracy to limit the American people's access to guns. You know what? It could be. I really don't know. I'm not gonna even try to figure that one out. My guess is, it's probably not a government conspiracy. But, is it a conspiracy on someone's part? Absolutely. 

Look at that definition of conspiracy, particularly #2 and #3: "2. an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot. 3. a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose." 

Sounds eerily similar to some words in Ephesians 6:11-13 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." 

Do I believe there is a conspiracy afoot? Yes, I do. I believe "the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41) have been, are, and will be til the end, conspiring against God, and against those who God has created. Jesus said satan was the father of lies (John 8:44), a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44), coming only to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). 

Is there any good news in this?? YES! Although satan has been a murderer from the beginning, God has been a redeemer from the beginning. All the way back in Genesis 3, when sin first entered the world, as humans chose to listen to that conspirator instead of our good and loving and beautiful Creator, God has chosen, in his great mercy and compassion, to save us. 

Although this earth, and our bodies, were put under a curse when we chose sin in the garden, even then, God told of the way He would bring us out of this mess. He would send a seed, through the woman - One whose heel satan would bruise. But this One, though bruised, would Crush satan's head. 

See the fulfillment of this promise in Colossians 2:13-15 "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with is regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away; nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (or, "triumphing over them in Him")."

So, all this ugliness - these school shootings; these daily assaults and murders; all of this strife - is this all part of a conspiracy? Yes! And is there any hope for us? Yes! "The LORD is a warrior; YAHWEH is His Name (Exodus 15:3)." Just as Joseph told the brothers who'd once tried to kill him, so now we can say, through Jesus our Messiah, to those enemies of ours, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." 

Let's leave with one last encouragement from 1 John, for those who are in Christ: "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (4:4)...for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (5:4-5)."

I Want to Be Ready

I have this recurring nightmare. In the nightmare, I am getting married - only, everything is going wrong. For some reason, no one is ready for the wedding. The flowers aren't ready. The dress doesn't fit. The guests don't know when to come. Everything is being thrown together at the last minute. Everything is halfway done. Nothing is quite right. We finally get to the church, late, of course. I get hastily dressed into the ugly wedding dress that doesn't fit. I don't have any bridesmaids to help me. When I finally walk down the aisle, it's the wrong guy. I feel very anxious about marrying him. I want someone to come and rescue me from this huge mistake I'm about to make, but no one comes.

This dream made more sense to me before I actually got married, to the right guy, with the beautiful dress, the gorgeous flowers, the sweet friends around me, the guests filling the pews, the vow between me, Casey, and God to do this thing for life. So, when I kept having the dream, even after July 24th, 2010, it really perplexed me. And made Casey laugh. I mean, how silly is it to be anxious about something that's:already happened! If I'm gonna be anxious, it should probably be about something that hasn't yet happened, right?

So, last night with our church family, we looked at a parable that Jesus told in Matthew 25:1-13

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. the wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. the bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 

At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. the foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 

Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'

But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I dont' know you.'

Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

As we read this, my recurring nightmare came to mind. And I wondered if maybe I've had this dream over and over just for sake of illustrating this parable. Just so I would know the anxiety, the dread, the utter helplessness felt for those who are not ready for the Bridegroom's coming. Lord, I want to be ready! I want to be watchful. I want to be longing for my Bridegroom's return, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He. Is. Coming.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going...I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:1-4, 6)

I was buying a couple last-minute Christmas gifts at Wal-mart, pretty excited that I'd just found a short line, and then annoyed that it was still taking a long time for the one person in front of me to check out . I looked up at the tv in the nail salon and saw the red "breaking news" graphic. I read the information on the screen - "27 dead at elementary school in CT," and I thought, "Oh, this must be an old story they're talking about." But then I couldn't recall any shootings having been in Connecticut, and I realized that this was live. Real. Happening right now. "No! No...no." Waves of sickness and grief flooded over me. "Why? Freaking why? Why is this happening..again??? How are these parents gonna cope? Why all these children? Jesus!"

The person in front of me left, and the cashier asked "How are you?" and I didn't know what to say. I wanted to connect with someone, talk about how horrible this was. And then the lady behind me started putting her stuff on the conveyor belt. The nerve. And not just putting it up there, but bumping into me while she did it. And then...oh...then, she rolled her cart into me. Dilemma. I'm both sickened by this one man's sin, and fuming at this woman behind me for...what? For daring to enter my personal space? Rushing me?  Now, I was feeling sickened by my own sin. Well, that's not pretty...stuff that down, smile at the cashier as you thank her for your receipt, and walk to your car.

My sister texted me, "just heard about ct :(" as I was walking out, tears welling up in my eyes thinking about those kids, and those parents. With the text, the dam broke. The Salvation Army bell-ringer told me to have a merry Christmas and I couldn't even get a response out. Turned on the radio to listen to the details...if I keep listening to the details being repeated, maybe it will make sense. Tears streaming. The traffic coming into the parking lot was heavy and I'd parked right there at the entrance. There's  a stop sign for incoming traffic that no one ever regards, including me. But I'm in my car yelling at them "There's  a stop sign!!" Just as I yelled, a guy let me pull out in front of him. Conviction...again, here I am, angered by this shooter's horrendous sin, and in that same instant, guilty myself.

We are not good. We aren't. If we're honest, we'll all admit that. Just look at the first line of the story on CNN:

"In one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, a gunman opened fire Friday in a Connecticut elementary school, killing nearly 30 people -- most of them children, a law enforcement official receiving information from the scene told CNN (emphasis mine)."

This has happened over and over and over and over and over. This is just "one of the deadliest." Things are not getting better. We are not getting better!


"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
the LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good, not even one.
Will evildoers never learn -
those who devour my people as men eat bread
and who do not call on the LORD?
There they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is present in the company of the righteous.
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor,
but the LORD is their refuge.
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!"

Just when you think you aren't that bad, your own heart reminds that you are guilty, just like everyone else. We need a Savior! I need a Savior! "Oh that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!" And, thank God! Thank God it has! "...and you are to give Him the Name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21)." Only trust Him. "There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1-2)."

This fall, Casey and I, along with our two friends Steve & Marcus, got to start a class for the sixth graders at church on Wednesday nights. We call it "The Bridge". Our hope is that the class will not only bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood, but most importantly, that the class will introduce them to The Bridge [to the Father], Christ Jesus.

None of the four of us have a ton of experience working with kids...excuse me, young adults...so we've been learning a lot. Last night, I think we learned several crucial lessons.

Lesson #1: Don't send one young adult into the classroom holding two bags of candy without also sending two bodyguards to accompany him. He will be mauled.

Lesson #2: If you buy candy for your class, only buy enough for them to each have a couple pieces. Buying two bags means they will eat two bags. Even if that means they each eat 10 pieces of candy, thus darkening any favorable light their parents would have previously seen you in, once their children come home so hyped up on sugar that they won't go to bed, and they keep repeating the names of the teachers who so generously gave them TWO BAGS OF CANDY.

Lesson #3: If you must get the class to answer questions by bribing them with candy, you should also follow up the giving-out-of-candy with the instruction that all who eat the candy during class will forfeit that candy, and all chances at earning any more candy. Or else, you will hear the ripping of candy packages, the getting up-and-down to throw trash away, and the whining for more candy from anyone has still has it in their hands the entire class.

With these lessons in mind, we charge forward, ready to love some kids and share some Gospel and praise some Jesus...just with a little less candy involved.